This is page numbers 4727 - 4770 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was know.

Topics

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madame la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. There was a lot to unpack. I'm not going to take her on with much about what she said there but I know I can't really talk about the Public Utilities Board here with regard to the outages, but can the Minister tell us whether the NWT Power Corporation is required to provide any information on outages, their causes, and actions to prevent further outages to the Public Utilities Board, and how can that information be compiled and communicated better to the public as well? Merci, Madam Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, utilities are required to report on reliability and quality of service to the Public Utilities Board through the general rate application process. So this information is readily available on the Public Utility Board website -- on the Public Utility Board's website. While the information required by the Public Utility Board categorizes outages caused by location, duration, frequency, through the open and transparent GRA process, customers, along with the Public Utility Board ask questions on historical outages and what actions are being done to be able to reduce the duration and frequency of future power outages. The Northwest Territories Power Corporation informs customers and the general public of any planned outages, also does the same for any unplanned outages through our social media platforms, also through news releases, media interviews. So we do respond back. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I'm wondering if NTHSSA will consider funding Aurora College nursing student tuition for southern students who want to study and work in the NWT as a means to attract new nursing students? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. This year, the health and social services system is offering a Health and Social Services bursary program which will provide bursary funding to Indigenous and northern students to help support them as they pursue a career in health and social services. We are targeting that group of students because we believe there is greater opportunity for retention.

It's just worth noting that the Aurora College currently has an intake in the nursing program of 30 seats a year. The majority of them are, in fact, from the NWT, or have lived here for some period of time before that. So what I take away from this is that we are set up to do exactly what the Member is asking. Thank you.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. So Madam Speaker, I agree with the Minister 100 percent. There is much more retention for people raised in the North to stay and to work as nurses in the Northwest Territories. Given that there are 30 seats a year within Aurora College for nursing students, does the Minister know or are they currently lobbying Aurora College to increase the number of seats that are available to nursing students a year, and does Health and Social Services plan to expand the bursary program that they're currently offering to northern students to southern students as well, given that we are in such a national shortage of nurses? Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I don't have any information that the nursing program is oversubscribed and that people are being turned away. What I can say about the bursary program is it hasn't been offered before so we have no information on the uptake. So I think the idea is to, first of all, work with Indigenous and northern students and then expand given the results of the initial offering. Thank you.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm wondering if Health and Social Services will commit to providing conditional employment contracts to potential nursing graduates in January before they are headhunted by other jurisdictions? In speaking with past graduates, they have noted that quite often in the month of June they are receiving casual contracts and are really having to put their faith in the GNWT to get around to providing indeterminate contracts to them. And so I'm wondering if we can bump this up to really make sure that we're not losing nurses to other jurisdictions. Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Department of Finance staff, I'm told, will be meeting with the graduating class of licensed practical nurses next week to discuss the benefits of working with the GNWT. And in addition, NTHSSA and human resources staff will be meeting with the current college nursing students, set to graduate next year, on November 29th and will provide conditional job offers at that time. The trip from conditional offer to indeterminate position involves making sure that all the requirements of the position are filled, such as graduate certification, successful completion of national certification, and achieving the registration requirements. Once those are all in place, the person is offered an indeterminate job. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I know that Regular MLAs will be watching for this to make sure that this does happen because it's really important to both the students and MLAs, that we're able to retain the students who are trained here at Aurora College and have most likely grown up here in the Northwest Territories as well.

Madam Speaker, currently public servants are being denied education leave for nursing as it does not fulfill their home department's mandate within the government. And so I'm wondering if Health and Social Services will work with the GNWT to create an all-of-government approach to education leave for public servants who want to pursue nursing careers and who want to pursue studies within Aurora College? Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. It's my information that the Department of Finance is reviewing the education leave program at this time and more detail is available from that department. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reference to the Minister's response to a previous question, it is really sad because -- and unfortunate because we have many people in the small communities who are suffering with trauma, especially -- with trauma experience especially from all the loss, loss of life due to addiction. We know that people want to heal and move forward. So with that in mind, will the Minister commit to a renewed approach and rebuild effective and respectful working relationship with Poundmaker's Lodge in order to renew the service contract and ensure Indigenous Northerners and communities have access to their Creator, community, and Indigenous-focused treatment solutions? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you. There's been issues with the contract with Poundmaker's Lodge. They initiated the cancellation of their contract and that takes effect at the end of October. There were a number of contractual issues that relate to services not being delivered as contracted. I'm personally disappointed that this relationship is not stronger. I have met many people in my life who have been to Poundmaker's and who have been very satisfied with the services that they've received there and have achieved long-term sobriety, which I think is the goal that we all are hoping for. So I have committed to meeting with the executive director of Poundmaker's to see if it is possible to resolve the issues that are outstanding. And that meeting will take place on Monday. Thank you.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Well, I just want to ask the Minister if she reached out to -- you know, to them because the clinical director of the program is in town and if she wants to, I can arrange for the meeting to take place. Thank you.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm meeting with the executive director on Monday. I appreciate the offer from the Member.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister of Housing NWT.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Plain Language Document for Bill 56: An Act to Amend the NWT Housing Corporation Act. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Status of Women.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to table the following document: 2021-2022 Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories Annual Report. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madame la Presidente. I wish to table the following document: A news release from Moody's entitled "Moody's Downgrades the Northwest Territories to Aa2, Outlook stable" dated March 9th, 2022. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.